Barcelona News: Tuesday, 18th December

Banco Sabadell has closed an agreement today for the purchase of Caixa Penedès, which will see an increase in their commercial network by 92% in Catalunya (read story here). Missed mortgage payments have reached an all time high in Spain, with a record 11.23% of people missing deadlines, the highest figure since the Bank of Spain began collecting such data (read story here). The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has stated that the country should no longer 'prosecute' or 'kill' homosexuals during a debate to decide whether the country's law of punishing homosexuality with the death penalty should remain (read story here).

El Periódico

The long succession of transport strikes in Barcelona have come to an end, as an agreement was formed yesterday between TMB employees and the government, which will see employees receive their Christmas bonus which was previously withdrawn (read story here). Excavations in Catalunya have unearthed the the oldest human remains in the region with the discovery of a 215,000 year old molar tooth belonging to a neanderthal boy (read story here). The President of the CiU in Parliament, Oriol Pujol, has insisted that it is possible to close the deal with the ERC today, which will be completed 'well and soon' (read story here).

El Punt/Avui

Football Club Barcelona has renewed the contracts of Leo Messi, Carles Puyol, and Xavi Hernández. Both Puyol and Xavi's contracts have been renewed until 2016; Messi is newly contracted until June 30, 2018 (read story here).